The OC Rippers - Demo

Greg Mongroll has been tipping me off to great new bands since the days when he was one of the three people who followed this blog. He never lets me down, which ultimately means he never lets you down! His latest find is The OC Rippers, a new project hailing from Ocean County, New Jersey (hence the "OC" in the band name!). The OC Rippers have emerged with a demo tape that you can download for free or purchase on cassette by emailing the band. What I like about this demo is that it reminds me of my early days in the punk world - when it was always so cool to discover a demo tape from a new band. A little bit of that magic has been lost in our modern-day digital world, when bands post "demos" online that often just sound like studio recordings. But The OC Rippers' demo actually sounds like a demo I would have played the hell out of in 1995. It's lo-fi but not really "garage". This is just good stripped-down old school punk. Sometimes the band comes out ripping it fast and hard ("Never Coming Down"). Other tracks like "Look Your Best" are slower in tempo and crudely performed in a charming pre-punk/early punk way. I love that there's nothing I can compare this band to directly. If they have influences, they're not made obvious. The keyboards on some of the tracks are a neat touch as well. I still don't feature new bands as often as I'd like to, so I must thank Greg for helping me out a little. Be the first on your block to get hip to The OC Rippers!



-L.R.

https://ocrippers.bandcamp.com/releases 

Stubborn Hearts - Trixie

After pilfering so many review ideas from Mick Fletcher, I would say I'm due for another Greg Mongroll pick. Although technically I'm stealing this one from Mick as well. What can I say? I stand on the shoulders of giants! I'm especially stoked on Greg Mongroll's recommendations when they're New England based. Stubborn Hearts are representing for Rhode Island, and I love that the band name says so much about who they are. Stubborn Hearts are Jenn Lombari (vocals/guitars/songwriting) and Doug Metivier (drums). The duo's new EP is called Trixie, and it delivers five songs of powerful & heartfelt melodic punk rock. Musically it recalls '80s/'90s emo-core and melodic hardcore, but the words and voice of Jenn Lombari are what really connect for me on a personal level. When bands go to the trouble to publish their lyrics, ideally it's because they have something meaningful to say that speaks to the human experience. And that's definitely the case here. These five songs are linked by one common thread: the agony of lost love and longing, and the toll that it all takes on our emotional state. Lombari addresses these themes in an open and wonderfully engaging way. This is intense stuff, and it's carried off with tremendous honesty and humor (the line "I've got mediums and therapists on speed dial" is both hilarious and devastating). Lead track "Our Hearts Are Turned To 10 Tonight" is honestly one of the most beautifully-written and spot-on love songs I've ever come across. I'm always awed when a two-minute song can say more about the fragility of romantic relationships than I ever could with thousands of words of prose. Those last five lines in particular give me goosebumps.

Stubborn Hearts are a band that remind me of why I came to love melodic punk music in the first place. Stripped down to just guitar, drums, and voice, their music exhibits a rawness I find incredibly refreshing in 2019. Trixie is full of relatable songs that emanate straight from the heart. At a time when "emo" has practically become a dirty word, this band demonstrates what emotional punk rock once was and still can be. Greg Mongroll will never steer you wrong!



-L.R.

https://stubbornhearts.bandcamp.com/album/trixie 
https://www.facebook.com/stubbornheartsband/

Sick Bags - "Cigarette Spit"

If you've been following this blog closely over the years, you may recall that the Faster and Louder "Greg Mongroll picks" have a storied history dating back to year one. It was Greg who first alerted me to the existence of The Cry!, The Shirks, Thee Mighty Fevers, Patsy's Rats, and many more bands that I would come to love. His latest pick is very much in keeping with the previous ones. Sick Bags are a fairly new band out of Richmond, Virginia playing great trashy punk rock and roll. With me recently craving some straight-up snotty punk rock, this Mongroll pick was well-timed! "Cigarette Spit" is Sick Bags' debut EP, and it arrives on the heels of that killer track "Microwaved Brains" from last year's Typical Girls Volume 3 compilation. You may know guitarist/songwriter Tony Leet from his previous bands Dirty Fingers and the Ladies. Lead singer Mel Medina is fronting a band for the first time, but she sure sounds like a natural. I'm hearing the influence of everything from the sleazy side of '77 punk to old school California punk to '90s garage trash. No complaints there! If you like your punk music raw, gritty, and chock full of attitude, these three tracks ought to hit the spot!



-L.R.

https://sickbags.bandcamp.com/ 
https://www.facebook.com/getyoursickout/ 

Stiff Love - Trouble

Any time there's a band recommendation in my inbox from Greg Mongroll, I am absolutely paying special attention. Over the years, he's turned me on to everyone from The Cry to Mystery Date to Patsy's Rats. So when he advised me to look into Stiff Love, I knew I was not going to be disappointed. Trouble is actually the second release from this foursome out of Olympia, Washington. The band also released a really fantastic tape last year titled For the Whole Family. If you're unfamiliar with Stiff Love as I was, you may be pleased to discover that Xtine from Beta Boys and Lysol is on guitar/vocals and Claudia from The Vitamens is on drums. Rounding out the lineup are Dahlia on guitar and Elysa on bass. I freaking love this record! It reminds me of what I always imagined punk rock should be back before I really knew what it was. I love the rawness of these songs, and that guitar tone is just perfect. The title track is an absolute breakneck ripper, while "Up In Your Room" is another standout propelled by tremendous urgency and really interesting guitar work. If you're looking for some straight-up killer punk rock, this EP along with the aforementioned tape are mandatory purchases. Do not miss the track "I Don't Mind Committing Crime". An instant punk classic!



-L.R.

https://stifflove.bandcamp.com/album/trouble 

Introducing The Graffiti Crimes!

Hey! I've got a good one for you to close out the month! The Graffiti Crimes are a newer band out of Toronto that you're surely going to be hearing about a lot over the next few months. "Favourite Loser" is their debut on-line single, and it's a terrific collision of punk rock, power pop, and straight-up rock n' roll. Almost from the instant I pushed play, I knew I was going to dig this song. It's a stone cold hit! Clearly this band knows how to write a killer tune, and Becca Chambers sounds like a formidable talent on lead vocals. Check "Favourite Loser" out for yourself and stay tuned for more from The Graffiti Crimes. Thanks to Greg Mongroll for the hot tip on this band!



-L.R. 

http://thegraffiticrimes.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TheGraffitiCrimes/ 

Introducing Patsy's Rats!

A few weeks back, F & L talent scout Greg Mongroll emailed me a link to the Patsy's Rats Bandcamp page. I clicked play, and my jaw dropped almost instantly. I just love it when music totally wows me! If we actually lived in a world where the best songs were the most popular, "Rock & Roll Friend" would be the #1 pop hit of the summer.

Patsy's Rats are a self-described "pop rock and roll" band led by Portland indie fixtures Patsy Gelb (daughter of Giant Sand's Howe Gelb) and Christian Blunda (Mean Jeans). The foursome's debut EP will be released on vinyl by La-Ti-Da Records later this summer. The digital version is available now and well worth your hard-earned cash. "Rock & Roll Friend" was written for Mikey Hodges (Pop Zeus, Boom!, the Memories), who tragically passed away in a motor vehicle accident last year. This loving tribute truly captures the mixed emotions of such a devastating loss. There's unbearable sadness - but also great joy in having had the privilege of knowing an extraordinary human being. Given whom it's about, it's fitting that "Rock & Roll Friend" is as fun and life-affirming as a pop song can be. No doubt, this is a tune Hodges would have loved. It's just perfect pop - replete with a hook that no sentient being could possibly resist. Reminiscent of the synth-driven new wave pop of the late '70s/early '80s, this song is a throwback to a golden age of radio hits. It ought to be blaring from poolside stereos, car speakers, and ballpark PA systems all over the land this summer. Prepare to wear out your repeat button!

While "Rock & Roll Friend" is clearly "the hit", this is an outstanding EP all the way through. "It's Gonna Hurt" and "Hard Time Karen" are excellent cuts of power pop meets new wave meets indie/alternative. Both songs come on slowly and build up to choruses that totally knock my socks off. This is definitely a band with a flair for hooks that stick with you. Going forward, I think Patsy's Rats might be the next big thing in power pop. If you enjoy terrific pop that's just different enough to stand out from the pack, this is a group that needs to be on your radar. Greg, the check's in the mail!



-L.R.

https://patsysrats.bandcamp.com/album/patsys-rats 
https://www.facebook.com/patsysrats 

Meet Tomy & The Cougars!

Tomy & The Cougars, along with like-minded bands such as Departure Kids, just might be turning Marseille, France into a hotbed of punk/powerpop! Who knew? There must be something in the bouillabaisse! Tomy and the Cougars seem to be crazy for their old Nerves and Beat records, and it's very hard to go wrong with a starting point like that! They've got a new 7" out on Surfin' Ki Records - and it completely won me over in about 15 seconds! These lads mix up a 50/50 blend of classic skinny tie power pop and Exploding Hearts influenced punk, lacing it with their own unique style. I love that Tomy's vocals are distinctly French accented, and his less-than-perfect command of the English language makes the lyrics twice as cool. "Girls think that I'm a woman eater/But it's not the way I look that make me good" has to be my favorite couplet of the year. And hearing a line like "Heartbreakers gonna be heartbreaked/Because I'm not afraid of fear", I can't help thinking that that's the perfect summation of my personal philosophy on life.

No Way Out includes three songs, and they're all dandies. "I Want Go" is probably the hit, propelled by a melody you'll be whistling all day and Lully's hooky guitar leads. It falls somewhere between the Nerves and classic pop/punk bands like The Modernettes. That "Cause you really got to do that" line in the pre-chorus has been stuck in my head all week! The wistful "Swallow My Tears" steps up the Paul Collins worship in a major way, while the bouncy "Run Away" hits me right in my sweet spot - where '77 punk and power pop meet head-on. All in all, super great! 

Kudos to F & L scoutmaster Greg Mongroll for this major find! This band used to be called Tomy & The Cougars With Heart, and the minor name change seems to herald a slight change in sound as well. The more pop direction seems to suit their talents, and of course it suits me just fine! Do they really have a rhythm section made up of guys named Fu and Fel? There's nothing about this band that isn't awesome!



-L.R.

http://tomyandthecougars.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/TomyAndTheCougars

You need Lunch!

F & L head talent scout Greg Mongroll has been working long hours of late, regularly hunkering down in the war room well after midnight with large quantities of hard cider and huge stacks of records and tapes. He goes through thousands of demos, YouTube clips, obscure podcasts, and transcripts of ancient prophecies in search of that next band I absolutely have to hear. Someday I will compensate him with a rare copy of Mr. T.'s Commandments on gold chain vinyl. But for the moment, he's working for peanuts. Literally. I have a reliable hookup in Virginia.

Greg brought his latest find to my attention over the weekend, and I started working on my review within moments. It's hard not to like a band named Lunch. Lunch is one of the great things in life - particularly when it's accompanied by a fine German lager. And you know that if the illustrious Johnny Cat put out the record, it's gotta be killer. I'm prety sure the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval was officially replaced by the Johnny Cat Seal of Approval sometime in the early 2000s. "Johnny Pineapple" is a new 7" release featuring four prime selections from the band's outstanding tape Quinn Touched The Sun. Lunch's sound is totally in my wheelhouse yet quite unlike anything I've heard before - a blend of garage, pop, and post-punk with an emphasis on quality songwriting and just enough noise to make it interesting. The title track is fast and poppy and so crazy catchy. Imagine the best elements of the Marked Men and early Replacements cross pollinated with Wire's guitar effects. "Slug Bones" brings to mind the heyday of Touch & Go Records, and surprisingly I don't hate it. If Jay Reatard had traveled back in time and cut a track with Joy Division, it might have sounded like "Monochrome Lust". And I give the closing cover of The Gun Club's "Sex Beat" very high marks. It's pretty faithful to the original, but with that distinctive Lunch touch I've really come to love over the last, uh, four days.

I think what I really dig about Lunch is that this is a true punk band playing post-punk - as opposed to some shitty indie rock band playing post-punk. That makes a big difference. There's an obvious level of sophistication and artistry involved in what they do. But when push comes to shove, they're delivering raw and energetic tunes that connect on a purely visceral level. Truth be told, all of Quinn Touched The Sun is great. Greg, ya done good!



-L.R.

http://lunchpdx.bandcamp.com/album/johnny-pineapple-7
https://www.facebook.com/lunchpdx

Mystery Date

Attention, power pop geeks! We've got a real treat for you! I say "we" because Greg Mongroll did all the heavy lifting on this project. Mystery Date is his find. He scouted these guys out and brought them to my attention while I was lying in a hammock eating grapes. I immediately fell to the ground in amazement. I compensated Greg with some scrap metal and a Gerry Cheevers rookie card. All that's left for me to do is write the review. That's the easy part. Should sales of Mystery Date's debut 7" skyrocket due to the 47 views this post receives, remember that Greg's birthday is July 24th of every year. He likes records.

On to the music! Mystery Date hails from Minneapolis/St. Paul and does absolutely CLASSIC power pop in the late '70s U.K. mold. Their single, "Dreaming In Black and White", is out on Three Dimensional Records - home to the likes of Boys Club and Real Numbers. With its mix of power pop, mod, and late '70s-ish pop/punk, this release could easily pass for some long lost Power Pearls obscurity. It's that good and that on-point to the period. "Yeah, I remember Mystery Date. They were lovely chaps. Played a few shows with Protex and Excel before breaking up so the singer could go to clown college full-time. Whatever happened to those guys?" The title track has a bittersweet feel and really reels you in with a captivating melody that will invade your brain for hours or even days. B-side cut "Endless Nights" is a little punkier and more heavily '60s inspired. It reminds me quite a bit of the Stiv Bators singles on Bomp! Records. As far as power pop goes, this is absolute A+ stuff. The songwriting is aces, and Mystery Date's brand of power pop has some real balls to it. As the label spiel says, it's neat to hear music like this coming out now when you can get the record for a mere $5. Mystery Date also has a self-titled cassette out, and you can get a little taste at the group's Bandcamp page. But enough of my babble. Go click play, and you can thank me later. Actually, you should just thank Greg. He done good!


-L.R.

http://mysterydate1.bandcamp.com/album/dreaming-in-black-and-white
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mystery-Date/219099284778269

It's The Shirks!

Score another one for Greg Mongroll! He recently turned me on to Thee Mighty Fevers, and now he's got me hooked on the new 12" from Washington, D.C.' s The Shirks. It's actually their fifth release, and I've got to say I feel like a real dolt for being unaware of this band's existence until a couple weeks ago. And to make matters worse, I didn't know that the group's singer/guitarist is Alec Budd of the legendary Problematics! Double demerit! Have I been living in a cave or something? Well, yeah, kinda.

The Shirks' label (the esteemed Grave Mistake Records) offers up the description of "trashy, fuzzed out punk rock n' roll". Oh man. Doesn't that just sound like something I'd be into?! "Trashy" rock n' roll is like "malty" beer and "curvy" women: pretty much guaranteed to be great. And, indeed, the record straight-up smokes! If you combined the early Saints with the top bands from the heyday of Rip Off Records and pushed the tempos to the brink of hardcore, it would sound something like this. Songs like "Bad Area", "I Don't Want To Work It" and "9:30 Dicks" gloriously blur the lines between raw, primitive garage-punk and '77 punk rock n' roll. And 99 percent of the "lo-fi" bands out there would kill for that filthy guitar tone! You get eight songs spinning at 45 RPM, and they're all rippers! Definitely a must-hear. The check's in the mail, Greg!



-L.R.

http://www.facebook.com/gravemistakerecords
http://gravemistakerecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-shirks

It's Thee Mighty Fevers!

Credit Mr. Greg Mongroll, Faster & Louder's head talent scout, for this tremendous find. He posted a song from Thee Mighty Fevers on my Facebook wall a few weeks back. My immediate reaction was, "Holy shit! Did Teengenerate get back together?!" And this was before I even knew they were from Japan! Needless to say, I was blown away. Sure enough there have been quite a few Japanese garage-punk bands on the scene in recent years. However, it's been quite a while since I've heard one that was legitimately at the exalted level of Teengenerate or early Registrators. But Thee Mighty Fevers out of Kobe have stepped up as true heirs to the throne. Their debut LP is out on the venerable Dead Beat Records, and you can catch a four-song preview on their Bandcamp page.

Kicking up a crackling, warp-speed variation on '70s American punk, Thee Mighty Fevers take me back to the days when garage-punk was king. The way they describe themselves pretty much says it all: "Fully fledged musicians creating sounds to get the blood pumping. Simple, fast, Rock'n'Roll... Endless freedom." How awesome is that band bio?! Who can't get behind endless freedom?! Fuck'in Great RnR is the title of the LP, and I'd call that truth in advertising for sure! Songs like "Bad Party" and "High-school Riot" are everything punk music should be: fast, wild rock n' roll delivered recklessly and furiously. These guys tear through every frenzied note as if their lives depended on it. They've got a raw, tough sound with killer songs to boot! Back in the day, they totally could have had a record on Crypt or Rip Off Records. Thankfully we still have great labels like Dead Beat that know true greatness when they hear it. And while you wait expectantly for the LP to show up in the mail, you can stream the band's first EP in its entirety. If these guys don't get your juices flowing, it might be time for you to switch to "adult alternative". 


-L.R.  

http://theemightyfevers.bandcamp.com/ 
http://www.facebook.com/theemightyfevers 
http://www.dead-beat-records.com/ 

How About The About: Blanks?

Implored by F & L’s head talent scout Greg Mongroll to check out Berlin’s The About: Blanks, I diligently obeyed. I bought $200 headphones, retreated into the cave, and let the noise flow through me. Good things started happening immediately. There was dancing and fireworks and a faint scent of sausage. Greg, you know what I like! The Germans gave us lager beer and bratwurst, two of my favorite things in the world. They’ve also given us some of the best punk rock of recent years, and The About: Blanks are essential players in this newest wave of Deutsch-core. You may remember some of these guys from bands like the Shakin’ Nasties, Moorat Fingers, The Not Amused, The Shocks, Frantic Romantics, The Bottrops, and King Kahn and the Shrines. They’re all card-carrying members of the Justice League of European Punk. Now they are one united force. They’ve got a new LP out called 12 Boring Blasts, and they’re poised for a title shot at the pogo-punk championship belt. Like fellow Germans the Modern Pets, The About: Blanks do the snotty ‘77 thing with hints of pop and a jumpy modernist spark. Their myspace page is loaded with songs you can stream or download- including a couple tracks from the new album and the band’s entire debut EP from 2010. “She’s A Nosebleed” is still the hit - it’s the kind of insanely catchy pogo-licious sing-along that I have not been able to resist in my adult life. Aces! If The Briefs had Johnny Rotten on vocals, and he was German, it would sound like “Your Pretty Face Is Going Down To the Jobcentre”. There’s more Sex Pistols worship apparent in “Too Boring To Talk To”, while the great “Kill Your Boyfriend” comes on with Clashy riffs and Ramonesy lyrics. And what kind of genius comes up with song titles like “Chuck Berry Vs. Dracula” and “Come Again (You Make Me Wanna)“? Brilliant! This might be my favorite new band for 2012. Seriously: how did I not already know about The About: Blanks?! I’m sure Greg wondered the same thing. That’s why I pay him the big bucks.






-L.R.

http://www.myspace.com/theaboutblanks
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-About-Blanks/188050334555121?sk=wall

Oh my, it's The Cry!

Credit Greg Mongroll via Something Fierce with the assist on this big score. And I do mean big score. I’d never heard of this group until 2:15 PM yesterday, and already The Cry! is pushing for a spot in my top ten current band list. I was instantly blown away. It’s tempting to call these Portland youngsters “up-and-comers”. But they’re not exactly coming…they’ve already arrived! I’ve been in the mood for some punky power pop lately, and The Cry! hits the spot! Wow- “Modern Cinderella” is a HIT. It’s a stunner of a pop song, laden with supreme guitar hooks, gorgeous melodies, and a super-catchy chorus you’ll be singing along with in no time flat. Killer stuff...shades of Cheap Trick, The Boys, and that great first TSAR album. Song of the year material here, folks! And it’s not like these kids just got lucky and wrote one decent song. They’ve got serious talent. “Sleeping Alone”  infuses poppy goodness and spiky energy into a ‘50s throwback sound, while “Waiting Around” suggests what Nick Lowe might have sounded like in the late ‘70s if he’d tried doo wop. The peppy “Wouldn’t Last” is very Exploding Hearts-ish, but not in a lame knock-off sort of way. Awesome tune! This band totally gets what pop is all about. Yeah, they have the style and the look down. But more importantly, they know their musical roots and really understand the craft of pop songwriting. They work intricately on their harmonies. They construct hooks that are built to last. And the lead guitar player rules! If you’re a pop guy, you have to be excited. Jump on board now - this band’s gonna be special.

- L.R.

http://www.reverbnation.com/thecrypdx